Lately I've had the opportunity to go and perform at a few benefit concerts. Combining music with a great cause feeds my soul in a couple ways.
First of all, I love music (understatement). Second of all, I love to see how many good people there are in this world trying to make a difference. It's a wonderful reminder to me that life is about helping others and making this world a better place — whether in small or big ways.
Mosiah 4:19 has been on my mind, as I have been hearing more about these benefit concerts. King Benjamin asks, "Are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have...?"
Yes, the economic times are tough. No, we can't do everything and help everyone. King Benjamin also advises us to do these things "in wisdom and order" (Mosiah 4:27). But we can do something. And when we do what we can, we can help change lives.
A few weeks ago on Facebook, I heard about a benefit concert for Kids On The Move. At first I was just interested because a few of my favorite local artists will be performing, including Joshua Creek, Daniel Beck, Holly Robbins, Jason Hewlett, and Dyer Highway. Then I became even more interested as I found out more about Kids On The Move and the amazing things they are doing.
Kids On The Move is a non-profit organization founded in Orem, Utah, that provides support to families with children birth to age 3. They help families of children with special needs and low-income families. Two mothers with children with Down syndrome founded it in 1984. They wanted there to be high-quality support available for them and for other families with children with special needs.
Scott Snow, the development director at Kids On The Move, said that it has been great to see musicians and the community come together for a wonderful cause.
Snow said, "It's been exciting to see the SCERA folks also join in and offer their Shell Outdoor Theatre for our use and others like APX Alarm who has offered to have a group of volunteers to usher. Lots of people are coming together to put together a fabulous night of fun for local families."
Snow also said, "At one point during the show, we will have one of the families who brought their little 2-year-old daughter to Kids On The Move 17 years ago, tell us about where she is today and how the early intervention in that little girl's life made all the difference. She just started college this month! They are just one of the thousands of families that we have helped. We'll encourage those who can, to make a donation so we can continue to help children ages birth to 3 — the most important formative years that have lifelong consequences."
The benefit concert is Monday, Aug. 31, at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. You can buy your tickets at any Macey's grocery store in Utah County or at the SCERA ticket office. All of the proceeds benefit infants, toddlers and their families served by Kids On The Move. More information about the performers and Kids On The Move can be found at www.kidsonthemove.org.
This is one small and simple way we can help. In return, we get to be uplifted by beautiful music and be reminded that life is about helping others.
Nicole Sheahan is a singer/songwriter and is studying media music at Brigham Young University. She welcomes your comments at nicolesheahan9@gmail.com.